BP's Tatics in Cape Vincent Ny

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Ontario Bays Initiative (OBI) will work once again this year with the town of Cape Vincent to post signs on roads near Wilson's Bay Marsh, where Blanding’s turtles will be venturing into roadways as they head to nesting sites.

This is the second year Cape Vincent town officials worked with OBI to help give the turtles a fighting chance by providing and posting the yellow diamond-shaped caution signs during the June nesting season.

The Blanding's turtle is officially listed as a threatened species in New York and in several other states. Many of the slow movers are killed each June near Wilson's Bay Marsh as they attempt to make the treacherous trip across two lanes of traffic in search of a spot to lay their eggs. But the signs are helping to reduce the number of turtles killed by cars.

OBI's Board of Directors includes several people who live along Lake Ontario shoreline communities, including several from Cape Vincent. The program was successful last year, thanks to the cooperation of the town of Cape Vincent and expertise of Glenn Johnson, chairman of the biology department at SUNY Potsdam. Professor Johnson has been working to reduce Blanding's turtle mortality in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties since 1998.

OBI wishes to thank the town of Cape Vincent for supporting the program for another year!

Cape Vincent-

In June of 1990- A wildlife manager with the state Department of Environmental Conservation uncovered a large number of Blandings Turtles an officially "threatened species" - near Cape Vincent.

Reportedly, a DEC reptile expert said that it could be the biggest find of the threatened species so far in New York State.

Cape Vincent provides an almost ideal habitat for them. The turtles were discovered in wetlands near Cape Vincent in Wilson Bay. This species was first recognized as an inhabitant of New York State in 1959 at that time they were placed on New York State’s “Threatened” species list, which means it is illegal to kill them. Unless you are a wind developer .

However, this may be changing, recently the Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal revoked the decision of the Director of the Ministry of the Environment to approve the Ostrander Wind Project, due to impacts to the Blandings Turtle.

Environmental Review Tribunal Decision:Excerpt ~ page 69 full decision can be read at this link

7. Conclusions on sub-issue 1

[359] The Tribunal finds that engaging in the Project in accordance with the REA will cause serious and irreversible harm to Blanding‟s turtle. The Tribunal makes this finding having regard to the biological population that will be impacted by the Project; that is, the population that uses the habitat on the Project Site and the surrounding area.[360] It appears that the mitigation measures to be employed during the construction phase of the Project, i.e., no construction or maintenance from May 1 to October 15,would be effective to prevent serious and irreversible harm to Blanding‟s turtle fromconstruction activities of the Project itself. However, such measures do not prevent use of the roads in the post-construction phase. In addition, the Tribunal finds on a balance of probabilities that the fact that this Project is on Crown land and open to public access will reduce the effectiveness of road mortality mitigation measures, including educational signage and reduced speed limits, to the point they will no longer be effective in reducing mortality to a level that would prevent serious and irreversible harm to Blanding‟s turtle. The one mitigation measure that the evidence indicates would be effective to some degree, i.e., speed bumps, does not nearly outweigh the increased use of the Site that will take place due to maintenance traffic and easier public access, and the measure will have no impact on poaching.Links below to read . Blandings turtle documents and reportsOstrander point ET Decision [Go to bottom of Page 69 for decision]BP~ CVWF ~ Blanding Turtle document collection

Blanding’s turtles need both wetland and upland habitats to complete their life cycle. The types of wetlands used include ponds, marshes, shrub swamps, bogs, and ditches and streams with slow-moving water. In Minnesota, Blanding’s turtles are primarily marsh and pond inhabitants. Calm, shallow water bodies (Type 1-3 wetlands) with mud bottoms and abundant aquatic vegetation (e.g., cattails, water lilies) are preferred, and extensive marshes bordering rivers provide excellent habitat. Small temporary wetlands (those that dry up in the late summer or fall) are frequently used in spring and summer -- these fishless pools are amphibian and invertebrate breeding habitat, which provides an important food source for Blanding’s turtles. Also, the warmer water of these shallower areas probably aids in the development of eggs within the female turtle. Nesting occurs in open (grassy or brushy) sandy uplands, often some distance from water bodies. Frequently, nesting occurs in traditional nesting grounds on undeveloped land. Blanding’s turtles have also been known to nest successfully on residential property (especially in low density housing situations), and to utilize disturbed areas such as farm fields, gardens, under power lines, and road shoulders (especially of dirt roads). Although Blanding’s turtles may travel through woodlots during their seasonal movements, shady areas (including forests and lawns with shade trees) are not used for nesting. Wetlands with deeper water are needed in times of drought, and during the winter. Blanding’s turtles overwinter in the muddy bottoms of deeper marshes and ponds, or other water bodies where they are protected from freezing.

These are truly amazing animals. One was seen way at the end of our street. We monitored her movement as closely as possible. What a surprise to see her heading down the middle of Stony Point Road about 3 miles from the original sightings. And Yes to the skeptics - we're sure it's the same one!

Buzzard ~ Wellesley Island

St. Lawrence river ~ Freighter

PROTECT GALLOO ISLAND FROM A WIND PROJECT

Hudson Energy filed a public involvement document with the Public Service Commission (PSC) on 6/16/15.

The approval process is now under Article 10 of the Public Service Law. The case number is 15-F-0327 and the matter # is 15-01278.

The attorney handling the case is Andrea Cerbin.

Her phone number is (518) 408-1441.

The link to the PSC site is below. On that site you will find Hudson Energy's preliminary Public Involvement Program (PIP) and the PSC response (they found it inadequate on several issues). In it you will see that the proposed transmission lines go south to Oswego.